Amendments

May 2024

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Drugs and Substance Misuse	Information has been added to reflect the reclassification of nitrous oxide as a Class C drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 (as amended).
Smoking and Alcohol	This chapter has been refreshed.
Recognising Abuse and Neglect	Definitions have been updated in line with revised Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Female Genital Mutilation	A new section has been added on Other Harmful Practices. The Health and Care Act 2022 has made it illegal to carry out, offer or aid and abet virginity testing or hymenoplasty in any part of the UK. It is also illegal for UK nationals and residents to do these things outside the UK. Information has also been added on Breast Flattening which is an offence as set out in CPS So-Called Honour-Based Abuse Legal Guidance.
Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines	Minor amendments have been made to definitions in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Leadership and Management	Section 2.3, Appointment of Manager has been updated in line with updated Ofsted Guidance – Social Care Common Inspection Framework: Children’s Homes.
Staffing and Safe Recruitment	New sections have been added in to Section 2, Safe Recruitment and Employment Checks, on Prospective Staff Spending Time in the Home and Carrying Out Interviews, in line with updated Ofsted guidance. A link was added to information on DBS Digital Identity Verification Guidance.
Preparation for Leaving Care	A link has been added in the Further Information section to Ofsted Guidance Children’s Homes that Provide Care and Accommodation for Adults.

Next Update: November 2024

Archive

2023 Amendments

November 2023

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Safe Use of the Internet, Social Media and Photographs	This chapter has been refreshed, and additional links added in Further Information.
Lone Working	This chapter has been updated.
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Title	Details
Supporting Children and Young People with Disabilities	This chapter has been added.

May 2023

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Provision and Preparation of Meals	Information has been added into Section 1, Responsibility and Risk Assessments, in relation to allergies.
Health Care Assessments and Plans	Information has been added into Section 2, Health Care Plans, in relation to allergies.
First Aid, Homely Remedies and Medication	Section 2, Allergies has been added.
Health and Safety	Section 3, The Home’s Health and Safety Policy has been updated.
Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management	This chapter has been updated to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Information was added into Section, 2 Positive Behaviour Support, Section 6, Risk Assessment and Section 9, Recording and Reporting.
Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention	This chapter has been updated to incorporate Ofsted feedback. Added into Section 4, Staff Training ‘This training will be refreshed on an annual basis’. Added into Section 12, Recording and Management Review, information on holding a restorative conversation with the child following physical intervention or restraint.
Self Harming and Suicidal Behaviour	This chapter has been updated to include information from Self-harm: Assessment, Management and Preventing Recurrence NICE Guidance.
Staffing and Safe Recruitment	This chapter has been updated in line with Guidance: Children’s Homes – Recruiting Staff (Ofsted) and has been amended in line with revised statutory guidance Keeping Children Safe in Education. Information was added to note that Keeping Children Safe in Education provides that copies of a curriculum vitae should only be accepted alongside an application form as a curriculum vitae on its own may not provide adequate information. Information was also added in relation to online searches.
Allegations Against Staff	This chapter has been amended in line with revised Keeping Children Safe in Education. New Section 2, The Difference Between an Allegation of Harm and a Concern has been added.
Whistleblowing or Raising Concerns at Work	This chapter has been updated.
Case Recording	This chapter has been updated in relation to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
Removed Chapters
Safe Driving Policy.

2022 Amendments

November 2022

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Contact with Parents / Carers and Siblings	Section 3, Supervised Contact has been updated to reflect a finding by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman that the supervisor's observations of the contact must be clearly recorded in the child's record and shared with the parents within 3 months of the visit.
Advocacy, Independent Visitors and Independent Reviewing Officers	This chapter has been updated.
Health and Wellbeing, Health Notifications and Access to Services	This chapter has been updated.
Positive Relationships and Behaviour Management	This chapter has been updated.
Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention	This chapter has been updated.
Searching Children/Bedrooms	Additional information has been added in relation to the arrangements around gender of staff undertaking searches.
Missing Children	This chapter has been updated.
Safe Use of the Internet, Social Media and Photographs	This chapter has been updated.
Personal Care and Physical Contact with Children	This chapter has been updated.
Surveillance and Monitoring	This chapter has been updated.
Allegations Against Staff	This chapter has been updated.
Whistleblowing or Raising Concerns at Work	This chapter has been updated.
Notification of Serious Events	This chapter has been updated.
Placements and Admission	This chapter has been updated.
Care and Placement Planning	This chapter has been updated.
Looked After Reviews and Disruption Meetings	This chapter has been updated.
Consents and Delegated Authority	This chapter has been updated.
Case Recording	This chapter has been updated.
New Chapters and Features
Consultation and Participation	This chapter has been added.
Providing Personalised Care	This chapter has been added.
Safe Driving Policy	This chapter has been added.
Health and Safety	This chapter has been added.
Sexual Health and Relationships	This chapter has been added.
Blood Borne Viruses (BBVs)	This chapter has been added.
Female Genital Mutilation	This chapter has been added.
Visitors Policy	This chapter has been added.
Leadership and Management	This chapter has been added.
Staffing and Safe Recruitment	This chapter has been added.
Lone Working	This chapter has been added.
Staff Supervision and Appraisal	This chapter has been added.
Gift Giving and Receiving	This chapter has been added.
Risk Assessment and Planning	This chapter has been added.
Removed Chapters
Caring for Children from Minority Ethnic Groups; Transporting Children; E-Safety; Digital Photography; Placement Planning Meetings.

May 2022

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Residential Child Care – Key Principles	This chapter has been given a general refresh.
Equality and Diversity	Section 1, Equality and Diversity for Children and Young People has been updated.
Education	This chapter has been amended throughout to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance and the outcome of Ofsted’s thematic report, Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges (June 2021). Section 1, Responsibilities of the Placing Authority and additional material has enhanced the Personal Education Plans (PEPs). A new Section 1.3, Pupil Premium Plus (PP+) Funding has been added. Section 5, Safeguarding in Schools has been updated to reflect the importance of sharing allegations or concerns about an adult’s behaviour.
Use of Restraint and Physical Intervention	This chapter has been given a general refresh.
Countering Bullying	This chapter has been amended to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance, the outcome of Ofsted’s thematic report, Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges (June 2021) and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. See Section 2, Definition of Bullying; Section 3, General/Prevention; Section 5, Countering Bullying Day-to-Day. A new Section 7, Further Information / Specialist Support has been added.
Recognising Abuse and Neglect	This chapter has been amended to reflect Keeping Children Safe in Education Statutory Guidance, the outcome of Ofsted’s thematic report, Review of sexual abuse in schools and colleges (June 2021) and the Domestic Abuse Act 2021. See Section 6, Sexual Abuse and Section 8, Bullying (including On-line/Cyberbullying).
Missing Children	This chapter has been significantly updated and should be re-read.
E-Safety	A link has been added in Further Information to the Childnet Parents and Carers Toolkit.
Allegations Against Staff	Amendments have been made in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance, to highlight the importance of sharing and responding to any concerns about the behaviour of an adult who works with children, no matter how small, including low level concerns.
Admission and Transition	This chapter has been given a general refresh.
Moving to Another Placement	This chapter has been amended to add a link to the NYAS ‘My Things Matter’ Report – support and respect care-experienced children and their belongings when they move. (See Section 2, Arrangements for the Transfer or Discharge).

2021 Amendments

November 2021

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Information Sharing	This guidance has been reviewed and updated throughout to reflect updated advice on information sharing contained in the statutory guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been reviewed and refreshed and should be re read.
Staff Qualifications and Employment Checks	A note has been added regarding the checks which employers must carry out to ensure that any person applying to work in the home has the right to work in the UK. See Section 3, Safe Recruitment and Employment Checks.
Preparation for Leaving Care	This chapter has been amended to reflect Working Together to Safeguard Children in respect of Homelessness and the vulnerability of children who are in this situation, or are threatened with this. (See Moving to Independent Living in Section 1.7, Pathway Plan).

May 2021

Updated Chapters
Chapter Title	Details
Advocacy and Independent Visitors	This chapter has been updated and should be re-read.
Recognising Abuse and Neglect	This guidance has been updated to take into account revisions to the Statutory Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Referring Safeguarding Concerns	This guidance has been updated to take into account revisions to the Statutory Guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Allegations Against Staff and Volunteers	A fourth bullet point has been added into Section 1, Introduction to reflect the revised guidance Working Together to Safeguard Children. The new bullet point means this procedure now also covers situations where an individual has behaved or may have behaved in a way that indicates they may not be suitable to work with children. This is to capture concerns around transferable risk; for example where a person who works in the home is involved in a domestic abuse incident and this may have implications for their suitability to work with children.
Preparation for Leaving Care	This chapter has been amended to reflect the support residential staff may need to offer to young people leaving their home to move to a more independent setting within their local authority boundary. Awareness of their Authority’s ‘Local Offer for Care leavers’ and ‘Joint Housing Protocols for Care Leavers: good practice advice (DfE and MHCLG)’ is an important part of this (see Section 2, Role of Residential Staff).
New Chapters and Features
Chapter Title	Details
Child Criminal Exploitation and County Lines	This new chapter provides information on Child Criminal Exploitation, including county lines. It covers signs and indicators that children are being exploited, and offers guidance on how staff in Children’s Homes can respond to keep children safe from harm linked to criminal exploitation.